Low formaldehyde-emission particleboards with the addition of Scots pine wood waste derived activated carbon

Free formaldehyde released after particleboard production poses significant risks to human and environmental health. This study investigated the impact of adding activated carbon produced from pine wood waste to particleboard on formaldehyde emissions to lessen this risk. In the first stage of the study, pine wood waste was activated with zinc chloride (ZnCl2) at 600°C for 90 min to produce activated carbon. The activated carbon was examined by scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetric analysis, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. BET surface area of the produced activated carbon was 1102 m2/g. In the second stage of the study, activated carbons (0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%) were added to a commercially preferred three-layer particleboard to enhance its mechanical, thermal and physical properties. In addition, the effects of the activated carbon on the free formaldehyde emissions of particleboard at 0 and 6 months were investigated. It was found that the free formaldehyde emissions of particleboards with activated carbon addition decreased by 24% at 0 months- and 6 months by 27% compared to the control group. Thus, waste material that has become a more valuable product as activated carbon will minimize harm to the environment and humans.